When Do You Need a New Septic Tank in Massachusetts?

A properly maintained septic tank should last you 30 years or more. However, if you’re a recent homebuyer in Western Mass, it’s hard to say how well the previous owners maintained their system. Beyond that, sometimes Murphy’s Law rolls up its sleeves and creates a random, unforeseen problem that you’ll have to deal with no matter how careful you were with your septic tank.

It’s common knowledge that your tank needs to be pumped periodically. However, what are the symptoms of a septic tank that needs to be replaced? While not all of these symptoms mean a replacement is in your future, they should motivate you to call us to perform an inspection. From there, we’ll determine if your tank needs to be pumped, repaired, or completely replaced.

Water is Pooling on Your Property

If it hasn’t rained lately, and you can’t think of any other reason for the standing water on the lawn around your septic tank, then you more than likely are suffering from a percolation issue. A septic tank is meant to leach water, which is then meant to be absorbed by the soil. If this isn’t happening fast enough, that water will reach the surface of your yard.

If water isn’t being absorbed around your tank, then it’s compromising the integrity of your tank. Furthermore, that excess water is contaminated, so if it reaches the surface of your yard in excess, then you run the risk of polluting your property.

All Toilets Are Flowing Slowly

A slow toilet is nothing to worry about, especially if it corrects itself once you snake or plunge it. However, if you notice a consistent slowness across every toilet in your home, then you can bet there is some kind of issue going on with your septic system. Don’t ignore the problem and let it get worse; call us in to perform an inspection.

You Can Smell Sewage Around Your Property

Septic tanks should never smell, even if you’re standing over there. There are safeguards in place to keep you and your family away from the odor and other byproducts of the raw sewage under your feet. Therefore, it stands to reason that if you begin to smell raw sewage either in your home or around your property, some feature of your septic tank is failing and needs to be addressed.

You Have Strange Green Patches on Your Lawn

Believe it or not, your grass loves sewage even if it’s an unsanitary and extremely hazardous way to fertilize your grass. If your tank is leaking sewage, then you might find patches of vibrant green grass around your yard that are all too happy to be fertilized by a septic tank mishap.

Don’t accept those green patches as a silver lining; a leaking septic tank will ruin your property and, if left alone, cause permanent damage that is costly to reverse.

Your Drains Begin to Back Up

An over-full septic tank or malfunctioning system can back raw sewage into your drains. No, we’re not only referring to your toilets but your sinks and bathtub drains, too. If this backup is violent, you’re then faced with the costly decontamination of your home. It’s best to catch a malfunctioning tank before it backs up and to be on top of regular pumping and other maintenance to completely avoid this issue.

Are you worried about the health of your septic tank in Western Mass? Don’t worry; reach out to us today and we’ll take a look.